Slow Season? What Slow Season? New Businesses in San Pedro, Belize

Let’s start with how gorgeous it was yesterday on Ambergris Caye.  The morning started looking stormy but no rain.  By noon, the sky was electric blue.

Perfection.

The old municipal pier in the Central Park.

A few friends and I came to town to try the “new restaurant”.  A Chinese buffet had opened just a few weeks ago – Red Chili’s.

Located on the Middle Street next to Aquarius Hair Salon & Used Book Store/Swap and across the street from the Old Milo’s, there has been quite a bit of buzz.  NOT because we don’t have Chinese restaurants in San Pedro.  Belize is FILLED with them.  But because this is not just Chinese fry chicken…it’s real stir-fries and lo mein and more American style Chinese food.

Well I’ll be the judge of that!

We walked in around 12:15 and the place was hopping.   About 4 or 5 tables and maybe 10 people waiting to order?  The menu looks legit…

The sign outside says Buffet but they are planning that for Fridays and Saturdays only.  Right now, you order off the menu.  The buffet equipment is functioning properly just yet…

We ordered the veggie lo mein…

and the Mongolian beef.

Here is what was good.  It is made fresh.  The vegetables are fresh and crunchy.  And you get a decent sized portion.  Is it crazy cheap?  No.  My Mongolian beef was $15bzd.

Is it American style Chinese?  Not really…it’s just not as flavorful and saucy.   Half the deliciousness of Chinese food (to me) is that yummy brown sauce that you dump all over your rice.  You’ll have to test it out and give me your opinion.  Try to go after 1pm…you’ll avoid the big lunch crowd.  In San Pedro, the banks and the offices usually have a noon to 1 set lunch time.

What did look really good on the neighboring tables?  The fry chicken fingers with sweet and sour sauce.  When I go back, that is definitely my order.

The slow season, often a time for business renovations or even closings, a time for less tourists and the possibility of more stormy weather, is approaching.  But that does not seem to be slowing down the new businesses in San Pedro.  There is this Chinese restaurant and on the front street, Yo Mama! is looking almost ready right next to Fido’s.

This location was last a gift shop and the whole inside looks brand new.

Yo Mama! is a chain the states, I just found out.  Yogurt bar?  Does that mean that you weigh the toppings and yogurt and pay that way?  People serve themselves?

Is this really a US franchise?  Other than real estate, we don’t really have that down here…

With all imported items (i’m imagining) and this self serve completely new in Belize, this should be very interesting.  Can’t wait until it opens.

And perhaps the most ambitious project…a Texas Barbecue joint.

Formerly, C’s Furniture Warehouse, this space was just a big warehouse.  Empty space for wooden furniture display.  It is located just north of Pedro’s Inn.  Right across a small street.

Now, it is being turned into a Texas Barbecue place.  Yeehaw!

I had to look that one up.  Wikipedia says:  Generally speaking the different Texas barbecue styles are distinguished as follows. In the East Texas style the beef is slowly cooked to the point that it is “falling off the bone”, typically over hickory wood, and marinated in a sweet, tomato-based sauce…

Oh jeez…there are four different types.   But fall apart meat and tomato & molasses sauces seem to be involved.  Traditionally served with beans and potato salad.  This sounds tasty.  And strangely similar to Belizean BBQ.

I did not peek inside but did see the Texan flag aflutter.  This is no small project – fitting this space with…well…a full kitchen?  Smokers?  Everything that a restaurant needs.

Another one that I am VERY curious to try.  The flyers that were being handed out advertise chicken, goat, beef, chicken…all sorts of meats.

And fresh.  Never frozen.

Is that even possible on a caye in Belize?  We shall see.

Until then…I’ll try to find these to snack on.